Critic’s picks: Television

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SUNDAY

Ray Donovan10 p.m., Showtime

There are comparisons to be made between “Ray Donovan” and “The Sopranos,” particularly when it comes to epic parent-child hostility. This episode has Ray and Abby taking the kids to interview at a hoity-toity LA school, but, as with Tony Soprano’s university tour with Meadow, there are complications.

MONDAY

Carson on TCM8 p.m., TCM

Every Monday this month, TCM has been airing great vintage interviews from “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” This grouping includes conversations with Mel Brooks in 1975, Burt Reynolds in 1972, and Bette Davis in 1983. Yes, and any Bette Davis talk-show appearance is a dramatic and comedic gem.

TUESDAY

There was one rule when it came to casting the seven women and four men who appear on this new reality show set on Martha’s Vineyard. They could be local, or they could be a transplant, but they absolutely had to be pretty. Will there be sex — I mean, romance?

WEDNESDAY

The Bridge 10 p.m., FX

One image in the third episode of “The Bridge” jumped out at me: A character stands in his tighty-whities outside of an RV in the middle of a desert. The shot is straight out of “Breaking Bad.” That’s a brave move, to invite that comparison, but the makers of “The Bridge” pull it off. This is a strong addition to FX’s schedule — not “Breaking Bad” good, but a compelling murder drama set on the Mexico-US border.

THURSDAY

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie 8 p.m., TCM

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The Globe's top picks for what to see and do each weekend, in Boston and beyond.

“Downton Abbey” has brought a lot of attention to Maggie Smith, who is so biting and endearing as the dowager countess. But she has been around — and been an amazing actress — for a long time, and she won a best actress Oscar with this 1969 movie for her fascinating, larger-than-life performance as a dedicated, radical teacher.

FRIDAY

Great Performances 9 p.m., Channel 2

This episode of the PBS series is “Dancing at Jacob’s Pillow: Never Stand Still.” It’s the story of the dance-education center in the Berkshires, with footage from the 1930s and ’40s and interviews with Merce Cunningham, Mark Morris, and Paul Taylor.

SATURDAY

American Haunting8 p.m., A&E

A&E is airing three hours of families whose lives have been changed by paranormal activity. Local angle: The third hour lands in Quincy, where the Shuman family believes dad Jack’s purchase of a 1966 car brought some supernatural bad luck down upon them.